Shades of Grey
by Hottiesplomiegurl
Summary: Alexa Regalton, a transfer student to Hogwarts from America, makes the Slytherins see shades of grey in their view of voldemort. Occurs during 6th year, and does not follow JK Rowling's 6th year, though some ideas and characters will be used.
1. Prologue

Shades of Grey

Prologue

Alexa Regalton slid out of the car and looked at her new house. It was painted a dark grey, but the paint underneath, a bright yellow, peeked out here and there. The sidewalk and driveway were cracked and coated in weeds. The drab shutters, originally black, swung off their hinges and collided with the tree branches that were beginning to take over the house.

"Um…it's nice," she said to her father. She walked up the driveway, suitcase in hand, and pushed open the front door. _It looks like a mausoleum, _she thought to herself. She shuddered and walked forwards into the narrow hallway. She peeked in to the living room and then walked up the stairs to find her bedroom. She opened the last door at the end of the hall and stepped inside. She glanced around and then lowered herself onto the bed.

She slowly opened her suitcase and rummaged around. Finally, she pulled out a medium sized picture frame and set it up on her night-stand. She sighed as she looked at it and fingered it lovingly. "I'll do my best, Mom, to be happy for you," she whispered.

She smiled wistfully and leaned back onto her bed. _Maybe_, she thought, _there is a reason for us being here. Maybe there is a higher purpose…but that's just wistful thinking isn't it? _

She glanced around the room, noting the cracks and peeling paint, and snorted. _Higher purpose, my butt. _


	2. Diagon Alley

Ch.1 Diagon Alley

Alexa woke up the following morning to the sounds of clattering and banging downstairs. She reluctantly flipped over and checked her wristwatch. _9:32. _She sighed and slid out of bed and into her slippers. She walked down the musty hallway and clambered down the squeaky stairs.

She walked into the kitchen to find her father noisily rummaging through boxes.

"No, no, no," her father said poking through a box. He shifted over to another box and ripped it open. It was towels. He snorted disgustedly and began throwing them into the air in an effort to get to the bottom of the box. "Muggle packing," he muttered. "Who's brilliant idea was this? Can't find a damn…"

"Good morning Daddy," Alexa said, laughingly.

Mr. Regalton spun around and grinned. "Hey, love!" His smile disappeared. "Do you know where the cooking pans are?"

Alexa thought. "I would probably look in the box labeled 'dishes'."

Mr. Regalton nodded and pursed his lips. "Dishes…right." He walked over to a box and began looking through it with renewed energy.

Alexa a peered around the kitchen, investigating the appliances and the cupboards. She looked at the microwave curiously.

"I found them!"

Alexa turned, smiling. "So are you cooking or am I?"

Mr. Regalton looked at her disapprovingly. "You really shouldn't be doing magic yet, Alexa. You're not 17 yet…"

"But who makes better food? And THEY will think it's you…plus, that rule is ridiculous with Voldemort…" Alexa stopped.

Her father froze. "Voldemort…" He sighed and turned to look at her. Their eyes met and they both gave a fake smile. Mr. Regalton sighed. "You make breakfast."

"Ok." Alexa busied herself with taking the pots and pans out of their boxes.

"Alexa? I was thinking we could go into Diagon Alley to get your school supplies later. What do you think?"

Alexa spoke with her back turned. "Sure. But do we know what I need to get?"

"Your list came this morning."

"Oh." She turned and looked at her father over her shoulder. "What time?"

"After breakfast?"

"Ok." Alexa turned herself back to the scrambled eggs.

Alexa and her father walked through the archway at the back of the Leaky Cauldron and a frown crossed Alexa's face.

She looked around the alley, noting the absence of people, the enormous ministry fliers and 'wanted' pictures. She turned to her father. "I thought it would be busier."

Mr. Regalton looked around and nodded. "Me too. Come on Alexa, let's go."

They first went into Flourish and Blotts and got _Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6; Advanced Potion Making;, Confronting the Faceless; Advanced Arithmancy; Herbs and Beyond; The Advanced Transfigurer;, _and_ Ancient Runes Made Easy _for all her classes at Hogwarts. Next they went to Madam Malkin's to get school robes and then they made a quick stop in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

As they approached Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Alexa stopped and glanced at the sign in the window. "U-No-Poo?" Alexa said, incredulously. "Can we go inside, Dad?"

Mr. Regalton nodded, smiling.

Alexa pulled open the door and walked inside. The environment inside was nothing like the desolate atmosphere of the Alley. The place was filled with laughing people just enjoying themselves.

Alexa felt her father slide past her, further into the shop. Alexa looked around and couldn't help herself; she smiled.

"There now, Fred, I told you she could smile."

Alexa spun rapidly to be greeted by the sight of two tall bright red-headed boys. "What?" She said, surprised.

"My brother and I noticed your dreary expression and you entered the store, and he said he thought you couldn't smile," one of them said.

"Oh." Alexa said. "And you are?"

"Fred," said one boy. "And George," said the other. "Weasley," The ended together and bowed, smiling.

Alexa chuckled. "Alexa Regalton."

"See anything you like?" Fred asked.

"Well, I haven't had much of a chance to look yet."

"What are you interested in?" prompted George.

Alexa looked at him complacently. "What do you want to show me?"

George smiled. "A smart customer, eh?"

Fred snorted. "Over here is our cosmetics section, and then we have an assortment of muggle tricks; tricks wands; our specialities, skiving snackboxes; and in the back," He led her around, "is our Defense Against the Dark Arts section."

Here, George took over. "All these items," he pointed to various hats, shields, gloves, "have shield charms on them. We also have Decoy Detonators, which will make a distraction for you, as well as instant darkness powder."

Alexa nodded, turning around. "Fascinating." She turned back to the twins to find Fred inspecting her. "And what is your diagnosis?" she said to Fred.

Fred smiled, unabashed. "Are you new around here? No offense, you don't speak like a Brit…"

Alexa raised her eyebrows. "You're not getting off that easy. But yes, I just transferred here from America."

A woman poked her head through the doorway. "Excuse me Mr. Weasleys, but you told me to tell you when your family came. And Harry Potter is with them also."

"Ah." Fred rubbed his hands together, grinning.

George lookedat Alexa. "You'll have to excuse us."

Alexa turned. "Harry Potter?"

Fred shrugged. "What can I say? He's a family friend." Then he turned and walked out the door.

"Hope you find everything you need," George added, before following his twin.

Alexa just stood where she was for a second before following the twins back out into the main store area. She saw Fred and George greeting some equally brightly haired people she assumed to be their family, and then she spotted her father off in a corner, inspecting the skiving snackboxes. She smiled and walked up to him. "Finding your inner child, Dad?"

Mr. Regalton turned. "Maybe." He chuckled. "This store makes me feel like a boy again."

Alexa grinned. "Well, we wouldn't want that. Come on let's go, before you buy something."

Mr. Regalton sighed and submitted to her.

Alexa and her father began twisting through the labyrinth of people towards the door.

"Leaving so soon, Ms. Regalton?"

Alexa turned and saw George, standing by his family, looking questioningly at her.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Maybe we'll see you around sometime," Fred said, giving her a roguish wink.

"Maybe," Alexa replied. As she turned to leave, her eyes traveled over the family and stopped on a boy about her agewith jet black hair and a lightning scar on his forehead. Their eyes met for a moment, and then Alexa turned and walked out the doorway.

A/N:So the next chapter should really be getting into the story, this first one, plus the prologue was to give background and set up the rest of the story. Please tell me what you think! R&R!


	3. The Hogwart's Express

Ch.2 The Hogwarts Express

The rest of the week until September 1st was spent unpacking and settling into the house. By the end of the week, all Alexa wanted to do was go to school so she could escape the endless monotony of unpacking boxes.

On the morning of September 1st, Alexa woke to the annoying and familiar ring of her alarm clock. Alexa groaned and rolled over, hitting the off switch. The alarm stopped.

_9:00. _Alexa sighed, and then realizing what day it was, jumped out of bed.

She ran over to her chair and put on her jeans and T-shirt she had laid out the night before, and then ran downstairs to cook breakfast.

On her way down to the kitchen, Alexa stopped at her father's room and opened the door a bit. Her father was still in bed. She sighed and reached around to find the light switch.

The light came on, and Mr. Regalton made a disgruntled noise and pulled his head under the pillow.

"Get up Daddy." Alexa walked over and grabbed the pillow away from him. "It is now 9:06. Breakfast will be ready at 9:30, ok?"

Mr. Regalton nodded wearily and laid back down on the bed.

Alexa exited the room, pillow in hand, and walked down to the kitchen to start breakfast.

The Regaltons pulled out of the driveway at 10:30 and started for the train station at King's Cross. Unfortunately, they got stuck in traffic on the way, so by the time Alexa and her father arrived, there were only ten minutes until the train was going to leave.

Alexa and her father looked around the train station for a 9 ¾ platform but they couldn't find it. Alexa looked around her, at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. She beckoned to her father.

Mr. Regalton walked over.

"We're looking for a muggle solution to a magical problem. Maybe we ought to look for a magical solution," Alexa stated. She gestured towards the wall between the two platforms and smiled slyly. "Want to give it a try?"

Mr. Regalton looked at his watch. Five till eleven. "I suppose we don't have any other option do we?"

Alexa nodded and then began walked quickly towards the wall. As she touched it, she felt herself move through it and she reappeared on the other side. Her father arrived close behind her. They walked around the corner to find a sign 'Platform 9 ¾'. Alexa turned to her father and smiled. "I guess we found it."

"I guess." He looked at her and smiled. "Have a good term, Alexa. I'll see you at Christmas, ok?"

Alexa nodded. She hugged her father and then she walked slowly towards the train.

Alexa peaked into another booth. "Full," she muttered to herself. She walked down to the next one. "Full." And then the next one. _Full. _Alexa groaned. She walked to the next compartment and peaked inside. It was occupied by only one boy. Alexa looked around her and sighed. _I guess I have no choice._

She pushed open the door and poked her head inside. "Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?"

The boy looked up. "Sure."

Alexa started as she looked at the boy. Then she got over herself and slowly walked inside, sealing the compartment shut behind her. She sat down and turned to find the boy staring at her.

He blushed as he noticed her gaze. "Sorry," he said, "But I thought I recognized you."

Alexa smiled. "You're right. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. You came in with the red-haired family."

"Oh." He smiled. "Are the Weasley twins friends of yours?"

"No. I just met them that day. They seemed to take a fancy to me." Alexa smirked.

"Probably true," Harry conceded. "You new to Britain?"

"Yes, actually. We moved here from America barely a week ago."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Wow. 'We' meaning?"

"My father and I."

"No mother?"

Alexa's face darkened. "No mother." She sat back, tight lipped.

Harry noticed her expression and changed the subject. "So what's your name?"

Alexa smiled a little. "Alexa Regalton."

"I'm…"

"Harry Potter, I know," Alexa finished for him. Her eyes glanced to his forehead. "Who wouldn't know?"

Harry looked down uncomfortably.

The sound of rapid footsteps made both quickly turn and look out into the corridor.

Alexa raised her eyebrows. "I guess someone needed to use the restroom?"

Harry chuckled. "Really badly." He turned and looked at her. "So what made you move here?"

"My dad got a job in the ministry here. Not like I had much of a choice not to move." Alexa leaned forward conspiritorally. "The worst part was the way we moved."

Alexa was interrupted by a loud band in a nearby compartment. She frowned and peered out into the hallway. She shrugged and continued. "We moved the muggle way…with all the boxes and the shipping and everything. I guess dad didn't want to look conspicuous moving into a muggle neighborhood…Of course, it's not like muggle aren't noticing OTHER things anyway."

Harry slowly nodded in agreement.

A loud band sounded in the compartment right next to them.

"What the..?" Harry started.

Then there compartment door was thrown open and a tall blond haired boy stood in the doorway. He looked malevolently at Harry. "Harry, I have something to give you." He raised his wand and pointed it at him. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Then before I could react, he turned and jinxed me with the same spell. The boy walked over to Harry and pushed him violently to the floor. "This is for my father, Potter!" Then he stamped loudly on Harry's face.

Alexa heard a loud crack and saw blood start flowing down Harry's face. Alexa was indignant. _Who the hell was this? _

The boy turned and looked her. "You didn't see any of this." He grinned evilly. "And if you did…" He let his voice trail off.

Alexa glared at him. Or rather, tried to. The jinx wouldn't allow her to move, so she ended up giving the boy a blank stare. The boy laughed and left the compartment.

Alexa was furious with herself. _I wasn't fast enough. And to be jinxed by a freak like that…_Had Alexa been able, she would have growled. But until someone came and performed the countercurse, she was stuck like Harry: unable to move.

Several long minutes later, voices came wandering down the corridor, and, eventually, two people appeared. One was a boy with bright red hair and the other was a girl, smaller in stature, with brown bushy hair. They opened the compartment door and walked inside.

The girl jumped back. "Goodness what happened?" Then she raised her wand.

Alexa felt the magical force binding her vanish and she gasped and fell forward.

Harry groaned and gingerly touched his nose. "Ow!" He stood up slowly.

Alexa stood up. "I can fix it." She pulled her wand out of her jeans pocket and raised it to Harry's nose. _"Episkey,"_ Alexa stated.

Harry felt his nose. "That's better."

The girl wrinkled her nose. _"Tergeo," _she said. The dried blood on Harry's face disappeared. The girl nodded satisfactorily.

"Thanks," Harry said. He sat down on the seat.

Alexa felt the girl and the red-haired boy staring at her. She turned and smiled. "Hi, I'm Alexa Regalton."

The girl smiled back. "Hermione Granger."

The boy nodded. "Ron Weasley."

"She's a transfer student from America," Harry explained to the two.

"Who was that?" Alexa asked abruptly.

Hermione and Ron looked at her. "Who was who?"

Harry looked up. "Draco Malfoy. He did it."

"Malfoy! That creep!" exclaimed Ron.

"Malfoy?" Alexa repeated. Her face took on an intense look of dislike.

"You know him?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Know of him…or rather his father…Lucius Malfoy," Alexa elaborated.

All three of them were looking at her in amazement.

Alexa raised one eyebrow. "Just because I'm from America doesn't mean I don't know what's going on in Britain. It's not just Britain that's affected by the wizards' war. Every country has its dark side… That includes America," She added bitterly.

Hermione looked at her understandingly. "So…" she started hesistantly, "What year are you in?"

"I'll be in 6th year," Alexa answered slowly.

Harry nodded. "Maybe you'll be in Gryffindor."

Alexa looked at him. "What's 'Gryffindor'?"

Ron chuckled. "That's right; you're new here. I guess we'll have to educate you…"

Alexa put her hands up in mock terror. "No! No schooling already! Term hasn't started yet! You can't make me!"

"It's for your own good," Hermione said, but she was smiling.

Alexa chuckled. "I guess." She smiled. _Maybe, it won't be so bad here. _She looked aroundat her three new friends. _Not so bad at all. _


	4. Houses

Ch.3 Houses

The train pulled into the Hogwarts station an Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Alexa all got up, rather reluctantly, from their seats on the train.

"So where do I go, again?" Alexa asked.

Harry glanced behind his shoulder at her. "Just follow the first years. And then we'll see you inside after you've been sorted."

Alexa paled a little.

Harry noticed and patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry. It's nothing dangerous or difficult…they just put a hat on your head that tells you what house you're going to be in."

"Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin?"

Harry grinned. "Those are the ones."

Alexa followed him off the train and looked around once she had gotten outside. It was dark, but Alexa could still see the castle looming in the sky in the distance. She turned around, looking for where she was supposed to go.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" A booming voice called out.

Alexa turned towards to voice and saw a bunch of small children gathering around a gigantic person. _Possibly with giant blood? _Alexa mused. She walked over and joined the group. Once all the first years had assembled, the giant, who introduced himself as Hagrid, guided them over a little ways to a pair of docks that had about 10 boats waiting.

"Alrigh' now, everybody get in a boat, no more than 4 per boat, ok?" He turned around. "And don't mess with anythin' once you get in 'em," he said over his shoulder. He walked towards the closest boat and climbed in, claiming it for himself.

The first years in front of Alexa seemed too paralyzed to move.

"O, honestly…" Alexa muttered pushing her way through to the front. She inspected the boat closest to her before climbing in. She turned and met the gaze of the first years. "Come on, it's perfectly safe."

Reluctantly, the first years clambered into the boats. Once everyone was settled, the lanterns in the boats lit themselves simultaneously, and then the boats started, of their own accord, to drift away from the docks and across the lake.

When the boats reached the other side, the children climbed out and followed Hagrid up to the entrance. They were scanned by a smelly man with a Secrecy Sensor before being allowed to go inside the entrance hall. There, a new teacher greeted them.

"Hello, I am Professor McGonagall, the transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. In a few moments, you will walk through these doors," She gestured behind her, "And join your classmates. You will then be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Your house is like your family. Any triumphs in classes will earn your house points; Rule-breaking will make you lose points." She looked at each one in the eye, as if determining which students would be troublemakers from the start.

Personally, Alexa felt the whole speech was rather rehearsed. Alexa felt McGonagall's gaze rest on her and Alexa looked McGonagall square in the eye.

McGonagall broke the eye contact. "Please wait here. I will return."

The minute she left, Alexa heard the mutterings start around her. Despite herself, Alexa felt cold sweat break out on her neck and she waited anxiously for McGonagall's return.

In a few minutes, McGonagall returned. "We're ready for you now." The doors behind her opened and Alexa and the first years all saw the Great Hall for the first time. McGonagall turned and walked through the doors and the first years slowly followed.

As Alexa walked down the central aisle, she saw and felt the stares of the Hogwarts students. She was glad when she got down to the front so she wouldn't have to see them anymore, and she could hide her flaming face. She felt so conspicuous—She was way taller than every other first year.

"When I call your name, come forward, and I will place the sorting hat on your head, so you can be sorted into your houses," McGonagall said, gesturing to the hat resting on the stool beside her. She picked the hat up in her hand. "Helen Conorsby."

A small girl with flowing blond hair stepped forward and hesistantly sat on the stool.

"Hufflepuff!"

Scattered clapping greeted this announcement.

"Gregory Edwards."

"Ravenclaw!"

"Regina Favis."

"Gryffindor!"

"Harold Hornsby."

"Gryffindor!"

"Rachel Jacobson."

"Hufflepufff!"

"Peter Kingsforth."

"Slytherin!"

"Jeremy Johnson."

"Slytherin!"

Alexa sighed. It was going to be a while till McGonagall got to Rs. She tuned out and tried to remember what Harry, Ron, and Hermione had told her about each house.

Harry smiled. "Ravenclaw…that's where all the smart people go. So, basically, the hat misput Hermione."

Hermione grinned. "But then I'dve never met you all…and done you're homework."

"Good thing, yeah?" Ron said.

"Gryffindor is where they say all the brave go. So Ron actually should be…" Hermione started.

"Right where he is!" Ron finished, glaring at her.

"Hufflepuff is basically, everyone else who doesn't fit in the other three houses."

"So Hufflepuff is rejects?" Alexa asked incredulously.

"That's the mean way of putting it," Ron said nodding.

"And then…you have…" Harry started dramatically.

"Slytherin," All three finished. They all gave evil looks.

"I'm assuming that you don't like that house," Alexa said.

"No, we love it." Ron snorted.

"That's where all the bad wizards come out. Like Vold—" Harry started.

Ron hissed.

"—emort. Honestly Ron…" Harry finished, shaking his head.

"Not all of them are bad, though" Hermione said.

Harry grimaced. "Just about."

Ron glanced out the window. "Oy…the food trolley is here!"

"Alexa Regalton."

Alexa looked up startled. McGonagall was summoning her up to the stool. Alexa gulped and walked forward out of the remaining group of first years.

She sat down on the stool and felt McGonagall place the hat on her head.

_Well, well, well…Ms. Regalton. _

_You will not go where you should have gone._

_But the house that I will put you in, _

_is the one that needs you most within; _

_Ergo, you go in "_Slytherin!"

Alexa sat in shock as McGonagall removed the sorting hat from her head. Slytherin? She was sure she would be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. She got off the stool and reluctantly moved to the Slytherin table. She took one of the remaining seats at the end of the table. She was much to distracted to pay attention to the rest of the sorting.

_Why Slytherin?_ She thought angrily. _I already had friends in Gryffindor. Now I have to start over, and I don't even fit the criteria for this house! Dark wizard, bah! I'm the total opposite._

Alexa's contemplation was broken by a huge round of applause. She looked up to see the last student run over to their table. It was, inadvertently, the Gryffindor table. Alexa eyed the boy enviously.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and gestured for silence. "I feel obligated to say something about Ms. Regalton, new member of Slytherin house," Dumbledore said lightly. "Many of you may be wondering why there is such a tall first year this year? No, she did not run amuck of a badly-done stretching hex." This was greeted with chuckles from the students and Dumbledore smiled and continued, "She is in fact a transfer student from America and will be joining us in her 6th year of schooling.

"Now, as you may have noticed, there are additional security measures in place to protect this school and its students from Lord Voldemort." A ripple went through the room at these words. "Mail leaving and entering the school will be checked, as will you all be when entering or exiting the school at anytime. Mr. Filch also wishes me to say that all objects from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes are strictly prohibited as well as numerous other objects. If you wish to see what else is banned, you can view the entire list outside of Mr. Filch's office. Thank you." He sat down. "Let the feast begin!"


	5. Friction

Ch.4 Friction

Draco looked up as the first years came in. He looked them over each one, slowly. His eyes glanced over Alexa, and then he did a double take. _O…crap. It's the girl I jinxed on the train. I didn't know she was a new student! _He paled slightly. _Making a new enemy is definitely not what I need right now. And why does she have to be so hott?_

"Draco?" Pansy looked at him curiously. "Are you ok? You don't look so good…"

Draco managed to shrug, but look macho about it. "Probably just ate too many cauldron cakes." He felt an elbow in his side. He turned swiftly.

"Draco!" A voice called quietly.

"Blaise, you shouldn't startle people like…" Draco started.

"Quite a looker, eh?" Blaise said to Draco. "The tall one."

Draco turned and looked at the first years. "O yes, quite." _Shit, shit, shit!_

"If she's in Slytherin, I'm going to ask her to sit with us," Blaise said firmly.

Draco looked slightly sick. "And if she's not?"

"Then she's a filthy muggle lover and I'll never even look at her again."

"Hey look! She's being sorted!" Crabbe exclaimed a little too loudly.

Draco and Blaise both glared at him, but then immediately turned their attention to the front. They watched, anticipating, as McGonagall put the hat on her head.

The hat thought for a few moments. Then, "SLYTHERIN!" it declared loudly.

"Yes!" Blaise said victoriously.

_No,_ Draco moaned.

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"Let the feast begin!"

Alexa gasped in surprise at platters full of every type of food imaginable appeared in the middle of the table. She was about to dig in when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned slowly and saw a dark-haired handsome boy about her own age in front on her.

"Hi, I'm Blaise Zabini."

"Alexa Regalton."

"You don't need to sit with all the first years," Blaise said invitingly. "Why don't you come sit with us?"

"Us?" Alexa asked, standing up. _Maybe this house won't be so bad after all._

Blaise jsut smiled and guided her about ¾ of the way down the table to an empty seat. "Guys, this is Alexa Regalton. Alexa, this is Crabbe and Goyle."

They both waved politely and then went back to stuffing their faces.

"Pansy Parkison."

Pansy turned and looked appraisingly at Alexa and then smiled. "I'm sure we'll be good friends."

Alexa gave her a smile in return.

"And Draco Malfoy."

Alexa froze inside and then turned and put on a false smile. "Ah, the prat who jinxed me on the train….well met."

Draco met her gaze, but did not apologize.

Alexa would have liked to sit far away from the death-eater creep, but unfortunately, her seat was between Blaise and Draco, so she made do with edging away from him slightly. She reached forward and loaded her plate with food.

"So why'd you move here?" Pansy asked Alexa.

"My dad got a job in the ministry. I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter," Alexa replied.

"Where are you living?" Blaise asked.

"Actually, we're living in a muggle neighborhood. But I'm not home all that much, so I don't mind it. I hate being away from the wizarding community."

Blaise turned and said something to someone on his left, and Alexa looked across to the Gryffindor table.

Alexa scanned the table, locating Harry, and suddenly he looked up and his gaze locked with hers. Alexa looked around her swiftly and then gave Harry a fake evil look and then crinkled her nose, as if in distaste. Harry smiled and winked at her.

Alexa smiled back, glad she still had a friend there.

"What are you doing?" Draco demanded.

Alexa sighed. She turned and looked at Draco with disdain. "Just because you don't like him, doesn't mean he and I can't be friends."

"What!" Blaise interjected. "Friends with a Gryffindor? And Harry Potter at that? Unheard of. Prohibited."

Alexa glared at Blaise. "What the hell? The only way this school is going to survive is if we all work together against Voldemort. That means putting aside personal," she glanced at Draco, "differences with others."

All of them flinched, but then glared at her with stony expressions. Even Crabbe and Goyle dropped their food to glare at her.

Alexa looked at all the angry faces around her. "O please, don't tell me you actually LIKE Voldemort." She lowered her head and shook it back and forth. "Maybe I don't belong in this house after all." She picked up her silverware and began eating slowly.

The silence at Alexa's part of the table was unbearable. The more the noise of the great hall around them rose, the more the silence surrounding Alexa deepened.

"So," Blaise said, not being able to take it anymore. "What is everyone taking for classes?"

Crabbe and Goyle were once again involved in their food, so Pansy answered. "O, I'm taking Charms, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts." She smiled at the irony of the last class.

Draco sighed. "Potions, DADA, Transfiguration, Astronomy, Charms, and Herbology."

Blaise looked questioningly at Alexa.

Alexa met his eyes and gave him a small smile. "I'm taking Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, DADA, Herbology, Ancient runes, and Arithmancy."

Pansy gave her a look. "Maybe you don't belong in this house. Ravenclaw would better suit you…" she sneered, "…as it does all other…"

Blaise shot her a warning glance.

Pansy faltered. "…other smart people."

Blaise smiled. "I'm taking Astronomy, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, and DADA."

"Looks like we all pretty much have the same classes," Pansy said.

Blaise and Draco nodded in agreement.

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"Maybe I don't belong in this house after all."

Draco sighed inwardly. He'd seen this coming. She was going to be trouble. But, maybe she could be brought around. She wouldn't be the first. They'd have to lay it on pretty thick.

_Is she even pure-blood?_ Draco wondered. _I wonder why she really moved here, and why she is so prejudiced against Voldemort? _

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"Maybe I don't belong in this house after all."

Blaise groaned softly. _Damn! Why she'd have to go and say that? But, _he thought reluctantly,_ she definitely has spirit. Why does she hate Voldemort so much, I wonder? I mean…she came from America, what could she possibly know about him? _He sighed. _I don't know. Maybe we're being close-minded. I owe it to her to give her another chance. Besides,_ he added,_ if I want her, then she needs to be accepted in the group. Win/ Win situation. Maybe she'll even come around._


	6. Friends and Enemies

Ch.5 Friends and Enemies

"And you are all dismissed! Prefects of houses…please do your customary duty…And everyone have a great first day of classes tomorrow!"

Draco sighed and stood up. "Hey all you stupid first years! Follow me unless you want to die."

Pansy chuckled appreciatively. "But really, Draco, you shouldn't scare off the first years."

"They shouldn't be in Slytherin if they are going to be scared off by that."

"Of course," Pansy simpered as the first years began gathering reluctantly around the two.

Alexa gave the group an upraising looked. _I don't really want to go with first years, and, I can only take so much of Draco and Pansy._ Alexa hesitated on the outskirts of the group, not really wanting to join.

"Why don't you leave the first years and join the sixth years?" A voice said next to her ear.

Alexa turned her head slightly to find that it was Blaise. She gave a sideways smiled. "I was thinking of doing that."

"Allow me to help you." Blaise gently pulled her away from the gathering group. "Besides, I can give you a better tour of this school than those two," he jerked his head in Draco and Pansy's direction, "anyday."

"I appreciate it."

Blaise guided her to the Slytherin common room, pointing out various classrooms and hallways on the way. They reached the portrait.

_"Ultimate loyalty."_ The portrait swung open.

Alexa stared in wonderment as Blaise guided her into the common room. The portrait swung shut behind them, increasing the volume of the chatter in the common room in front of them. "What was that?"

"That was our Slytherin password. Security reasons, you know. Don't want any Gryff…um…enemies coming in any time they want."

Alexa grimaced. "Sure. I understand perfectly."

"So…anyways, your dormitory is up on the left…sixth door up."

"Right." Alexa headed towards the left staircase.

Blaise started and caught her arm. "You aren't going to wait for anyone?"

Alexa turned. "Do you want me to?"

Just then, Draco, Pansy and the first years popped through the door. "So, first years…boys on the right, girls on the left…bottom door, because you're at the bottom of the food chain. Any questions?" Draco said aloofly.

Pansy snickered. "Now go to bed, children. It's past your bedtime." The first years moved slowly forward into the common room, breaking off and spreading out, gradually.

Pansy walked forward, seeing Blaise and Alexa. "Hello Blaise. You really ought to come with us to bully the first years; it's quite fun." She turned to Alexa. "I trust he's already given you 'the tour.' Not that it matters." She laughed coldly. "You'll get to know it soon enough."

Pansy turned and strode up the stairs with her own clan of friends. Alexa followed behind.

They reached the dormitory door and pushed it open, strolling inside.

"Omygosh, girls," Pansy said to the five in front of Alexa conspiratorially, "We HAVE to have a talk. Come over to my bed."

Alexa stood in the doorway for a second and pursed her lips. _I figured this would happen. Already, leaving me out. Ostracized. _She sighed and walked over to the only other empty bed, which so happened to have her trunk at the end of it. She inspected her things and then climbed onto the bed, laying spread-eagle and looking at the ceiling.

She heard the girls giggle and she could _feel _them looking over at her, laughing, criticizing, despising. Then they got bolder. Words, phrases, drifted Alexa's way.

"Omygosh…look at her hair…"

"I can't believe she said that…"

"I can't stand her…"

Alexa snorted. They hadn't even known her for ten minutes yet and were already making judgments.

"Did you see how all the guys are obsessed over her?"

"Well, all I can say is, she's not taking my Draco…"

_Clearly Pansy's voice._ Alexa smiled. _Wow I didn't know I was such a threat. _She breathed deeply. _I should probably start unpacking. _

She sat up slowly, and pulled her wand out of her pocket. She waved it at all the drawers and her trunk, and they all slid open. Alexa crawled over and looked into her trunk. The girls were trying hard not to look at her now. They were quiet too.

Alexa pointed her wand into her trunk and clothes levitated out of it. They floated, gently, into the waiting drawers and settled themselves in neat little piles. Alexa looked into her trunk, contemplating. The girls were watching now; they couldn't help it. They threw little glares yet while watching in awe because of the simplicity and the fluidity with which she performed her magic, non-verbally.

Alexa pointed her wand into her trunk and this time books, parchments and other school supplies flew out, settling themselves upright on her bed-side table.

Finally, she reached into her trunk and pulled out a small picture frame with her hand and gently closed the lid of the trunk by hand. She placed the picture in front of the books on the bed-side table, facing the bed. _So I can see it when I wake up and fall asleep. _Alexa sighed, looking at the picture and fell back onto the bed.

The girls were still quiet. Alexa grimaced. "You can stop looking at me you know." She glanced over at them.

The girls were all indignant. Pansy raised her head haughtily. "What makes you think we were looking?"

"The fact that your face is towards me."

"Well…" She trailed off. "Don't talk to her," She said to the people around her.

"Why?" Alexa asked.

"Don't answer."

"I can hear you, you know."

Uncomfortable silence filled the room.

Then, one of the girls turned and looked at Alexa pitifully. She turned and got off the bed and walked over to Alexa's bed.

"What are you doing?" Pansy demanded.

The girl turned and gave Pansy a dirty look. "Just because you don't like her doesn't mean I have to. Besides, you're not being fair to her." She turned back to Alexa. "What was it like in America?"

Alexa smiled at the girl gratefully. "What do you mean?"

"Did you go to…what's it called… um…New Pork?"

Alexa laughed. "It's New York. Actually, I did once\; My dad had job to do for the ministry up there and he took me with him. They have huge buildings there…they're so tall they touch the sky. Everyone is selling everything. Everything is expensive…"

One by one the girls left Pansy's bed and walked over to Alexa's, drinking in her every word, until Pansy, herself, reluctantly walked over and joined the group.

Alexa smiled at her as she came over. Pansy gave a small smile, more of a smirk in return. She sat down at the foot of the bed.

"Was Voldemort strong there?"

Alexa turned. It was Pansy, Pansy with an evil grin to accompany her smirk. Alexa smiled, indulging her. "It's no different then it is here. America has it's own faction of Death Eaters. They still follow Voldemort's every command…and die in the process. Or get captured, but it's the same thing. Good always triumphs over evil in the end."

Alexa looked into Pansy's glaring eyes. She found fear there, hiding beneath the surface. _Fear of what? Of me? Of Him? What are you afraid of?_

Pansy looked down, uncomfortable. "I think we should go to bed. Classes start tomorrow, and we could all use rest." She looked up, back in control. "I get the bathroom first."

A short while later, The girls were all in bed, the lights out. One by one they all fell asleep. Except Alexa. Soon the sound of snores and heavy breathing filled the room.

Alexa rolled over and tried to bury her head in her pillow. She couldn't sleep with noise. She rolled to the other side. She cast a silencing charm over all the other in the room, but then the silence was too loud. She removed the charm and sounds once again soared through the room. She tried muggle ear plugs, but noises still filtered through.

_ARG! I can't take this anymore!_ She sat up rapidly, grabbed her pillow and blanket, and headed down to the common room.

She walked down the stairs quietly and then reached the ground floor. It was dark, and the fire had gone out. She nearly fell flat on her face as she walked towards the largest couch. She reached the couch and plopped exhaustedly onto it.

She landed on the couch and suddenly realized, someone else was already on it. "O my! I'm so sorry!" She scramble to get up, but slipped back onto the couch again.

The person sat up slowly, and helped Alexa off the couch, sleepily.

"I'm so sorry…I didn't see you."

"It's ok; I like being woken up by girls falling on top of me," a male voice answered.

"Is that sarcasm?"

"A little bit of both." The boy sighed and pulled out his wand. "Maybe I should make a wall around me so that doesn't happen again?"

"I don't think that's necessary, but by all means…go ahead."

Instead the boy lit his wand. "Who are you anyways? Alexa?"

"Blaise?"


	7. Pairs

Ch.6 Pairs

Alexa looked at Blaise, subconsciously checking him out. She took in his pj's and his muscular physique beneath his thin wife-beater. She blushed and hoped he couldn't see it by the dim light.

"So, um…" she started distractedly, "What are you doing down here?"

"I…had some things I needed to mull over. Alone."

"Oh…I can leave…"

"Ah no, it's fine, I was done contemplating anyways."

_Did I hear a note of panic in that reply? _Alexa smirked.

"So what are you down here for?" Blaise asked her.

"Well, Pansy's snores are horribly and intolerably loud…"

Blaise chuckled. "So are Draco's. The two of them make quite a pair don't they?"

"A lovely snoring brutish pair."

"Well, they say you don't stay together long unless you have things in common," Blaise added.

"Then what will your pair have in common with you?"

Blaise pursed his lips. "I don't know. Let me think…because you know there are so many wonderful qualities I possess…" He said sarcastically.

"Like arrogance." Alexa smiled playfully.

Blaise snorted, laughing.

"Well, add snorting to that."

Blaise nodded his head sheepishly, but grinning. "My mother hates me for it. She says it's not proper. But honestly, can anyone help but laugh with their natural laugh? Anyways, what would I…your pair have in common with you?"

"I snort too."

Blaise laughed.

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"Blaise?" She paused.

Blaise stared at her, noting her curves…and how the pajamas she was wearing made them more distinct…

"So, um…what are you doing down here?"

Blaise jarred from his daydream guiltily. "I…had some things I needed to mull over. Alone."

"Oh…I can leave…"

_No, I don't want her to leave! _"Ah, no, it's fine…I was done contemplating anyways." He paused. "So what are you down here for?" _For me…_ Blaise slapped himself mentally.

"Well, Pansy's snores are horribly and intolerably loud…"

_And you're so intolerably sexy. _Blaise was aghast at himself. He chuckled quickly to cover himself. "So are Draco's. The two of them make quite of pair don't they?"

"A lovely snoring brutish pair."

_A lovely hott smart you…_ _Damn I am so glad she can't read minds._

"Well, they say you don't stay together long unless you have things in common," Blaise quipped.

"Then what will your pair have in common with you?"

Blaise pursed his lips. "I don't know. Let me think…" _about you _"…because you know there are so MANY wonderful qualities I possess…" He said sarcastically.

"Like arrogance."

Blaise snorted, laughing. _Is she flirting with me! Bloody hell…_

"Well, add snorting to that."

Blaise nodded his head sheepishly, but grinning. "My mother hates me for it. She says it's not proper. But honestly, can anyone help but laugh with their natural laugh? Anyways, what would I…_damn it_…your pair have in common with you?"

"I snort too."

Blaise laughed.

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"So, I was up in my room hiding and my dad came upstairs to find me, because he saw I had broken the plate downstairs. I remember the knob turning, and all I remember is that I wanted to make myself invisible so I wouldn't get in trouble. The door opened, and my dad stepped inside. He looked right through me, and that was when I knew I was invisible." Alexa sighed. "That was the first magic I performed. I was young…probably about three years old."

"Did you get punished?" Blaise yawned sleepily.

"No, I didn't." Alexa grinned. "Because I stayed invisible until he left for work a few minutes later."

"Sweet."

She pulled out her wand. "Time," She said to it. It flashed two times. "Wow! It's two o'clock already! We need to go to bed." She looked up, and saw that Blaise was already fast asleep.

Alexa smiled, looking over at him. _He looks so cute when he's asleep… woah, where did that come from? D it, Alexa, getting involved with a Slytherin is the last thing you need. Stay away from him…..but he's so hott. And nice._

Alexa sighed and settled herself on the couch._ Why does the world have to be so difficult. _She rolled over and closed her eyes; Before she knew it, she was asleep too.

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Alexa woke up the next morning to the sounds of feet coming down the stairs. She sat up and saw a group of girls, fully ready, hurrying towards the portrait whole entrance. She looked at the couch and saw that Blaise had already left.

She sat up, fuming. _And he didn't even have the decency to wake me up. _She rolled off the couch and hurried upstairs, blanket and pillow trailing behind. She rushed into her dormitory and pulled out her robes for the day. As she sped towards the bathroom, she eyed the robes with distaste. Uniforms had never been her thing.

She climbed into the shower and was out in three minutes.

She dried off and then slid into her black skirt, white blouse and then irritably put on a green and black striped tie.

"Make-up," she muttered. She pulled her wand out of her robe pockets. " Accio make-up!"

The object hurdled towards her, stopping just in front of her. She grabbed it impatiently out of the air and laid it on the counter.

She pointed her wand at her hair. "_Hetenflarae_." Hot air issuing from the end of her wand began gently blow-drying her hair.

She delved into her make up bag and applied a thin line of eyeliner to her bottom lid and a coat of mascara to her upper lashes. She stood back and looked at herself. Something was missing. She sighed and pulled a light green eyeshadow out of her bag. _Green to match the house I hate… _She applied a light layer and then parted her half-dry hair to the left.

"_Finite._" The hot air stopped blowing. Alexa pushed her hair in towards her head to give it small waves. Then she grabbed her wand and hurried downstairs to breakfast.

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Alexa walked out of the portrait hole. She paused. "Ok…which way to go?" She looked left and right and pursed her lips. "Left." She walked left and tried the first door she came to. It wouldn't open. Alexa sighed and moved onto the next. And the next. And the next.

She rounded the corner and saw another hallway to the left. She turned left. She tried another door, but it wouldn't open either. _This doesn't look familiar at all. Maybe I should go back._

"Lost?" A voice asked her mockingly.

She turned rapidly to see Draco Malfoy walking towards her. _Ah, the arrogant prat._ "No, actually, I was uh…just _investigating_ the school."

"Right. Sure. I can help you if you want. But, oh, that's right, you're just _investigating _aren't you?"

Alexa just stood there as he circled her, his eyes roaming over her. Alexa grimaced. "What do you want Draco?"

"Want? I want to help." He smirked.

"Well then you must have some ulterior motive for wanting to help, am I correct?"

"Maybe."

"Which means yes. Draco, I'm not going to give you anything, ok? So leave me alone."

"Oooo…FEISTY today aren't we. Well, the way I see it, you have no choice but to give me what I want because you'll never find your way to the Great Hall by yourself."

"For your information, I know exactly where it is. Besides, Blaise gave me a tour yesterday."

"I'm sure he gave you a great tour…of his mouth."

Alexa flushed with anger. "Malfoy, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about! Get the hell away from me."

"Whatever you say Ms. Regalton. If you need me, just call me." He smirked and bowed mockingly to her and then walked right past her.

Alexa watched him go, and then turned the other direction, knowing that he, unfortunately, would not be stupid enough to turn around and lead her back to the Great Hall. _But he came from this direction…so…_

She walked back to the portrait hole and right past it. She turned left at the first hallway she came to. She began to hear noise and walked towards it. She heard it coming loudly from a door and opened it. She stepped through into the Great Hall.

Alexa smiled victoriously and approached the Slytherin table with a smirk not unlike Draco's own. She sat down by Kaitlyn, a friend she had made in her dormitory last night.

She exchanged greetings with her and the others around her before digging into the remaining food on table in front of her.

Draco soon appeared and sat down by Crabbe and Goyle, shooting daggers at her with his eyes at Alexa all the while. Alexa just smiled.

As Alexa was finishing her meal, Dumbledore rose and called for silence. As soon as the room was silent, Dumbledore spoke. "Welcome to your first day of classes! Please refer to your schedules to guide you through the day. Sixth years please stay after classes to verify your classes. Thank you and good luck!"

Alexa watched as all other years rose to go gather their books and go to class.

Snape, the head of Slytherin house slowly walked towards the group of sixth years. He quickly checked off Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise. Then he cleared other Slytherin sixth years Alexa didn't know the names of. Finally, he turned to Alexa.

"Ms. Regalton," he said icily, holding out his hand for her O.W.L. report.

Alexa pulled her paper out of her robes and handed it to him.

He glanced over it. "Schedule, please." He handed them both back to her apathetically. "You're fine, Ms. Regalton."

Alexa took them and stowed both papers back in her robes.

She stood up from the table and turned…right into Blaise. She started and grabbed his shoulders to keep from falling. When she caught herself, she realized his hands were wrapped around her waist. Hurriedly, she released his shoulders and stepped back from him, looking down at the floor,

"So…um…" Alexa muttered. _Why am i flushing! We're just friends. _She looked up. "Why didn't you wake me up this morning?" irritation sparked from her eyes.

Blaise was caught off guard. "What? O…I guess I didn't think about it."

"Hmm…" Alexa said as she walked past him.

He turned and joined her.

Alexa noticed this and closed her eyes. _Do NOT get involved with a Slytherin. Do NOT get involved with a Slytherin. Do NOT…_

Blaise stopped and looked at her, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Alexa looked at him. "Just peachy." _Do NOT get involved…too late._


	8. The Same as Them

A/N: Wow, I've never gotten so many reviews! Its amazing. But actually mmmm…, my anonymous reviewer, there was actually more than one reviewer that attacked my writing, two in fact, but the first one I deleted because it was very offensive. Nevertheless, I appreciate your feedback! Thanks also to dido and actress19! Err…whoever you are, be patient and the story will reveal itself.

Ch.7 The Same as Them

Alexa and Blaise walked in uncomfortable silence back up to the portrait hole. Once inside, they split up to go up to their dormitories with out saying anything to each other.

Alexa sighed and gathered her books for Arithmancy and Charms, putting them in her bag along with parchment and several quills. She walked back down to the common room to find most other sixth years relaxing on the couches. She eyed them enviously.

She walked towards the portrait hole and left, taking the route back to the Great hall, and eventually, she located her Arithmancy classroom. As she entered, she looked for anyone she knew to sit next to. Spotting Hermione, she took the empty seat next to her.

Hermione looked up as Alexa sat down. "Hey. Are you ok in…that house?"

"Not really, no."

Hermione shrugged. "Well, when you'll in a house full of death eaters…"

"Supposed death eaters."

"O?" Hermione said surprised, "Then you've found one that isn't?"

"Blaise Zabini has been nice to me."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, giving Alexa a I-can't-believe-you're-falling-for-that-one look.

"What?" Alexa asked.

"Alexa, I'm sorry to say this to you, but probably the only reason he's being nice to you, is because he wants you."

"I know."

"You know?"

"I'm just choosing to take advantage of the situation."

"So then, explain that little spark that comes into your eyes when I said his name."

"Spark?"

"Alexa, don't fall for anyone in Slytherin; no good will come of it."

"What you don't think I can hold my own?"

"What I'm saying is you need to be careful. You claim to have such anti-Slytherin sentiments, and already, here you are falling for a Slytherin boy." Hermione gazed at her concernedly.

"I'm not falling…"

"Yes you are. You need to watch yourself, Alexa, because we tend to be influenced by those around us."

"I will never become like them. And I don't like him that way, Hermione. "

Hermione gave her a knowing look and a shrug before turning back to her book.

The teacher walked into the classroom, shutting the door behind her. "Okay, class, let's begin!"

"I don't," Alexa insisted to Hermione.

Hermione just stared with rapt attention at the teacher.

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The bell rang and Alexa hurriedly packed up her school supplies and rushed out the door.

"Hey…" Hermione had caught up with her.

Alexa turned. "Are you off to Charms too?"

"Yes."

"Great; I'll just follow you then."

"So getting back to what we were talking about before…" Hermione said.

"Can we talk about something else?" Alexa asked.

Hermione gave her a look and sighed. "Alexa, you need to find out where you're loyalties lie. You're in compromising situation, and the only way you're going to get out of it is by choosing."

"I thought I asked if we could talk about something else."

"I'm done."

Alexa sighed. "So when does Quiddich start around here?"

"You'll want to ask Harry that; I'm not so involved inQuiddich. Harry's Gryffindor captain though."

"Oh. I didn't know that."

They rounded a corner, hurriedly moving to the side to avoid a large crowd of students.

"Here." Hermione pointed at classroom with her hand.

They turned sharply into the classroom. Hermione found Harry inside and sat down next to him, waving at Alexa to sit next to her.

Alexa saw her, and then she saw Blaise further back in the classroom trying to get her attention.

Hermione saw Blaise and raised her eyebrows at Alexa.

Alexa glowered at her and stepped towards Blaise. But then, instead of sitting by him, she sat a few rows in front of him and a few rows behind Harry and Hermione: neutral territory.

The bell rang and Professor Flitwick stepped up onto his podium. "Today is a review day," he squeaked. "Please open your books to page fifteen. Can anyone tell me the incantation for a levitating spell?"

Several students raised their hands.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_," one student answered.

"Excellent! How about a summoning charm?"

"_Accio_," another child answered.

"Correct!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed enthusiastically. "Now we are going to practice these two spells. Everyone, wands out. I want you all to summon those pillows on the far end of the room to your desk, and then leviatate them back to their original spot."

Everyone pulled out their wands.

"Ready…begin!"

Alexa sighed. "_Accio_ pillow." The pillow zoomed across the room to her. It paused in midair. Alexa grew an evil smile on her face. "Wingardium leviosa…" She raised her wand, causing the pillow to rise, and then made it fly and hit Harry in the back of the head.

Harry turned around rapidly, and Alexa gave a small 'oops' look and waved.

Harry smiled charmingly, just before sending a pillow zooming into her.

"O…now that was uncalled for," Alexa said. She sent a pillow smashing into both Harry and Hermione.

"Pillow Fight!" A student called excitedly. He enchanted a pile of pillows and sent them magically soaring throughout the room.

The class turned into outright chaos.

"Now class! Stop it! Stop!" Flitwick squeaked, panicking.

Alexa grinned and picked up a pillow with her hands. She felt a sharp whack on her head and turned to retaliate. TherestoodBlaise, smiling like a lunatic.Alexa adjusted her grip and then swung the pillow right into his grinning face.

"OW!" Blaise rubbed his nose. He looked up and glared at Alexa, but with his smile he looked more like a clown than a wizard.

Appropriately, Alexa laughed. "You big baby!" _Come here and I can make it better…_ Alexa blushed at her thought and pulled her pillow over her face to cover it, which luckily coincided with Blaise's next attack.

"Class, stop it this instant!" Professor Flitwick squeaked comically. Finally, losing patience, he pulled out his wand and pointed it into the air. "_Immobulous_!"

Everyone and everything in the classroom froze. Professor Flitwick calmly sent the pillows back to their places in the back of the room.

_"Finite."_ Everyone unfroze. "Now if you would all take your seats and we will move on to the next spell," Flitwick said.

Alexa sighed and returned to her seat. She noticed a note sitting there and opened it slowly.

It said:

_It's lovely that you're trying, but_ y_ou can't be neutral all the time. -Hermione_

Alexa read it and shook her head. "Yes, I can… and will."

"All right, the next charm is the cheering charm. Anyone?"

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When the bell rang, Hermione quickly gathered her things and left the classroom, joining the throng of students heading to the Great Hall for lunch. She sat down in the middle of the Gryffindor table to be shortly joined by Harry and Ron.

Hermione placed some food on her plate and looked around the Great Hall. She spotted Alexa coming the main doors. Hermione looked at the Gryffindor table and the Slytherin table. _Hmmm…I wonder how's she going to pull off neutrality this time? _Hermione watched Alexa expectantly,andto her surprise, Alexa began walked toward her, Harry, and Ron.

Alexa stopped behind Harry. "Nice class you guys." She smiled.

Harry looked up at her. "Do you want to sit?"

Hermione watched Harry closely. _Do I detect hopefulness?_

Alexa bit her lip. "Sure, I guess I can sit for a bit." She pushed between Harry and Ron. "What's up?"

"That was a sweet fight you started," Ron said enthusiastically. "Bloody brilliant."

Alexa smiled saucily and brushed off her shoulder, causing Hermione, Harry, and Ron to laugh. "Sometimes its fun to start something. Besides, it's not like it was dangerous or anything," she said.

Hermione smiled. "You never know…someone could make a person choke on goose feathers or something. A Slytherin maybe?"

Harry and Ron laughed, but Alexa's smile faltered.

"Not putting you in that category of course," Hermione amended quickly. "You're not like them." _For now…_

Alexa sighed. "No, you're right for the most part; but not all Slytherins are bad."

"Really?" Ron asked. "Name one that isn't…besides you."

"Well, I'm flattered." Alexa gave a small smile. "But…" She trailed off.

"You see? You can't think of one right off the top of your head. There all just a bunch of evil, kniving,cruel, prats."

Alexa laughed. "You know what's funny? You're just as quick to jump down their throats as they are to jump down yours." She paused. "Maybe if you actually try giving each other a chance, you'll find out that there is more to each other than you know. But instead, you both hate each other…so how does that make you any different from them?"

Her question remained unanswered. Alexa took it as her cue to leave and stood. "Well, I guess I'll see you all around." She slowly walked away to the Slytherin table.


	9. Fire and Ice

Ch.8 Fire and Ice

Alexa approached the middle of the Slytherin table. She moved to sit down by Blaise and received glares from the surrounding group, except for Blaise, who was studiously looking at his plate.

Alexa looked around at all of them. "What?" She said, confused.

"I thought we'd been over this." Draco met her gaze coldly.

"Been over what Malfoy?" Alexa said, an edginess in her voice.

"Over the Gryffindors. Or rather…away from them."

"Draco, what I _am_ so over is your pathetic fude. I see no reason why I should make your quarrel mine. So I see no reason why I can't talk to AND be friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione."

Draco stared at her. "Slytherins hate Gryffindors on principle, but my enmity with Harry runs deeper than a fude or quarrel."

Alexa raised her eyebrows mockingly.

Blaise looked up and gave her a warning look. Alexa ignored him.

"Harry, Hermione, and Ron…" Alexa started.

"Are sworn enemies of the Dark Lord." Pansy finished smartly. "And followers of the Dark Lord do not consort with or befriend the likes of _them,_" she spat contemptuously. "And as a 6th year in _this_ house, you should be above them, above their kind, and ready to tackle any task the Dark Lord gives you."

Alexa eyed her angrily. " I thought I made it incredibly clear that I do not follow the Dark Lord and I _never_ will." She paused, fury building in her. "And as a 6th year in this house, you should be above contempt. _Real_ wizards do not make petty enmities and grudges and _most certainly_ don't carry them into adulthood." She looked at Draco sharply.

"WHY YOU…" Pansy started viciously, pulling out her wand.

Blaise stood up rapidly, grabbed Alexa's elbow and pushed her forcefully back into the wall. "Don't be stupid Alexa. You're going to get yourself killed.," He muttered through clenched teeth.

Alexa glared at Blaise. "I am perfectly capable of …"

"Killing yourself. Stop, Alexa. Think. Breathe," Blaise said harshly.

Alexa looked down at the ground._ Is this the time? Should I tell him? _She closed her eyes. _I'll tell them all._ She snapped hereyes open and lookedup into Blaise's. "Let go of me, Blaise."

Blaise didn't let go. "Whatever you're going to do, don't do it."

"Blaise, I swear to God, if you don't let me go, I will hex you myself," Alexa said coldly, fury exploding from her eyes.

Blaise slackened his hold on her, and Alexa pushed past him and marched back to the table.

"You know what?" She asked furiously, slamming her hands down on the table. "I think it's time you knew something about me. It's time you all knew." She glowered at each of them. "I am not anti-Voldemort on _principle_," she spat. "I actually have _reasons_ for my hate."

"My mother was an avid follower of Voldemort in America. She was His most loyal death eater and would have given her _life_ for His pathetic cause." Pain filled Alexa's voice. "Our family was probably the most deeply engrained in the dark arts out of anyone, besides Voldemort Himself. She was His perfect replica; her fury was cold, her power stronger than anyone's. She was powerful enough to replace Him if she really wanted to.

"But she never did. Voldemort, however, felt threatened by her, so he _killed _her. Personally." Alexa paused, biting her lip. "He came to our house; I think my mother knew something was up. She told my father to grab me and run. I don't know how he got out; I don't know how we survived, because death eaters were swarming our house," She recounted painfully.

"And then all I remember was the screaming. And even though I was barely over one, I remember it like it was yesterday. And I dream about it all the time, reliving it again and again, the horror of my life…caused by Him." Alexa gathered breathe. " Don't," she said, her voice filled with anguish and anger, "Tell me that you hate someone; you don't know what hate is until you have experienced what I have."

Alexa wrenched herself away from the table and hurried into the corridor outside of the Great Hall.

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Alexa disappeared into the corridor.

Pansy breathed. "O my God…she's psycho," she said, laughing.

Blaise glared at her. "It isn't funny, Pansy. Shut your mouth before you say anything else stupid."

Draco sighed. "So what do we do about her?"

"Do about her?" Alexa's friend Kaitlyn interjected incredulously. "This girl just poured her soul out to you, and you're asking what to do with her? Even a Slytherin has to have some compassion, but it's obvious you don't." Kaitlyn turned away from him in disgust.

Draco raised his arms in protest. "Well, what is she doing in this house if she's so anti-everything and can't we petition to _Dumbledore_," Draco spat the name, "to remove her from this house?"

"You know he won't," Pansy replied. "And besides," she sneered, "The sorting hat probably has a purpose for sticking her in here," she said venomously.

Blaise turned and glared at her. "Didn't I tell you to keep your mouth shut?"

Pansy stared at him in shock.

"Well," Blaise said hesitantly, "At least now we know why she feels the way she does."

"This is all assuming, of course" Draco said, "That her story is true."

Blaise looked at him with disbelief.

"You actually believe that whole story?" Draco asked surprised.

Blaise met his gaze evenly. "I don't know. But I plan to find out."

**A/N: And i know this is short, I'm sorry. I just couldn't think of a better stopping point because i wanted the fury to just...hang with you. Anyways, please read and review! **

**Thanks to xtotallyatpeacex for her faithful reviewing! You get a gold star!**


	10. Forbidden

A/N: AH! My readers, thank you for your patience! I've been struggling with this chapter for a LONG while now. I needed a jumpstart to finish and it took a long time in coming. So...about two months too late, here is the next chapter! Thank you to all my reviewers! I'm sorry i haven't given you much to review recently. Props to you for waiting.

A/N: I suggest you reread the last chapter or at least the end of it, otherwise this beginning part will make absolutely no sense. Cheers!

Ch.9 Forbidden

Alexa ran up the dormitory stairs and rushed into her room, struggling to hold back the tears. She dove onto her bed and muffled her cries into her pillow.

Stifling her sobs, she rolled over onto her back and bit her lip. Then she gave a single desperate laugh. "Well…that went well." She sighed and felt more tears leak from her eyes. "And why did i do that?" Suddenly, she was overcome with grief. "O, Mama…" She turned again and buried her face in her pillow.

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Alexa woke awhile later to Kaitlyn's friendly voice. "Alexa, come on, darling. Classes start in seven minutes."

Alexa groaned and unwillingly opened her eyes. "How long have I been asleep?" She yawned.

"Since….lunch, I guess."

_Lunch…oh yeah. _Alexa grimaced. "Um, I'm not sure I'm going to classes this afternoon."

"Alexa, its the first day of classes."

Alexa screwed up her face. "True. That's…blech." However, she rolled off her bed and grabbed her books for Double Potions as well as her potions kit.

She turned to go, but Kaitlyn stopped her.

"You might want to fix that." Kaitlyn rubbed under her eyes.

Alexa turned and looked at her eyes in the mirror. She chuckled amusedly, and began wiping the trails of eyeliner off her face. "Better?" she asked Kaitlyn.

"Much," she replied, inspecting. "Shall we?" She turned to exit.

Alexa joined her and they walked down the stairs together.

"What class do you have next?" Kaitlyn asked her.

"Potions with Slughorn."

"Do you know where it is?"

Alexa pursed her lips. "Hmmm, no."

"Ok, potions. Hmmm…turn right out of the portrait hall. Continue down the hall until you reach the fourth, no," she bit her lip, "fifth hallway and turn right again. Continue until you reach the end of the hallway and turn left. Turn right at the next hallway and the classroom, erm, dungeon, is at the end of the hallway." Kaitlyn grimaced. "Sorry, its harder to give directions then just to DO them."

Alexa smiled. "It's ok. Is it really a dungeon?"

They chatted conversationally until they reached the portrait hole and climbed out of it. Kaitlyn waved at Alexa and turned left. "Oh," she called over her shoulder, "Good luck."

"Thanks!" Alexa called back. She turned right. "I'm going to need it."

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Despite her best efforts, Alexa still got turned around several times. She finally found the right second hallway in Kaitlyn's directions. Alexa turned left down the hallway and as she did so, the bell rang. Cursing, she hurried forward, found the next hallway, and turned right. She saw the classroom door at the end of the hallway and she slowed her approach. Calmly, she walked the last few steps and opened the door.

The professor's balding head swung to look at her. "You're late, Ms…."

"Regalton. I'm sorry professor. I got lost."

Slughorn nodded amiably and gestured for her to find a seat.

Alexa glanced around the class, ignoring Draco's obvious disdain and Blaise's emphatic gestures to get her attention, and chose the empty seat next to Hermione.

Hermione glanced at her. "What, we aren't trying to be neutral now?"

Alexa smirked. "No, I'm trying to make the Slytherins more angry at me."

"Really?

"No, Hermione." She dropped her smile and sighed. " I just…don't feel like sitting next to either of them right now."

"A-hem," Slughorn loudly called for attention. "Today we will be making a potion called the Draught of the Living Dead. This is an incredibly difficult potion, one far above the level of potions you have done before. As such, I do not expect you to get it completely right, but I do expect a certain level of competency from each of you as N.E.W.T students." He breathed deeply, twitching his great walrus mustache.

"The person who shows the greatest level of competency will receive a reward for this lesson. Please observe the four cauldrons behind me." He turned his large body gracefully and then stepped away to reveal four concoctions bubbling away. "The potions include Polyjuice potion, Veritaserum, Amortenia and," he paused dramatically, "Felix Felicis. The winner of today's lesson will have to identify all four potions; If he or she does, he or she will receive a small bottle of Felix Felicis." He smiled affably.

"But sir!" A student exclaimed. "What does Felix Felicis do?"

Slughorn's smile widened and he winked roguishly. "I think I'll let that wait until after the lesson, but I will give you a small clue: 'Liquid Luck'. Well, what are all of you waiting for?" He chuckled to himself as the class scrambled to gather their ingredients, light their fires, and assiduously delve into their bags for their books.

Alexa hurriedly prepared her ingredients. She wanted to win just to throw it in Malfoy's face. Who knows what snide comments he could have been making about her after her episode at lunch? How she loathed him—and how could Blaise, her romantic interest, be such good friends with a total jerk? Alexa blushed as she thought of Blaise, and then was furious with herself for having thought of him that way. She looked surreptitiously around the room and was amazed to see that she had already fallen behind. She diligently bent to her work, allowing no more thoughts of Blaise or Draco to cloud her head.

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Draco groaned in dismay as his potion turned an even darker violet—if you wanted to call it that. He sighed and tried adding little bits of every ingredient to try and balance the potion, but the potion still stayed resolutely purple. "Dammit," he muttered ferociously. He had wanted to show up Granger for once in his life, especially if it meant receiving a glorious potion in the process. He wouldn't mind showing up Potter too…as well as Alexa.

He sighed as he thought of her, absentmindedly stirring his potion counterclockwise, like the book said. Damn the book. Even though he hated her friendship with the Gryffindors, her intimacy with Blaise, her ardent disrespect for the Dark Lord…he couldn't help but admire her at the same time. Even on the train, when she had been in the compartment with Potter…if it had been anyone else, he would have hurt them like he hurt Potter, but Alexa just seemed so…perfect and…

Fire shot out from underneath the cauldron and caught his shoe on fire. Yelping, Draco leapt away from his cauldron, madly whacking at his shoe with his wand. The class as one turned as watched him amusedly, snickering and chuckling loudly. Blaise calmly put out the fire with _Aguamenti_ and the class, regretfully, turned back to their cauldrons. Draco sat down, mortified at being seen in such a predicament. The red of his ears and face clashed violently with the deep purple of his potion, and his redness intensified as he saw Slughorn walking around to inspect the potions. He knew he hadn't won when Slughorn looked at his potion and gave just a small nod; Then he moved onto the next cauldron. Draco slumped against his chair, angry that Felix Felicis had just slipped out of his hands.

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Slughorn reached Hermione's cauldron and exclaimed loudly. "The sure winner! My dear Ms. Granger, what an excellent job! Do come, do come up!" He eagerly gestured her up to the front of the class and pointed at each of the potions.

"Which one Ms. Granger, is Amortenia?"

"The mother-of-pearl potion on the far right," Hermione answered smartly. "It the strongest love potion in the world!"

"Right indeed. What about his clear potion here?" He pointed to a cauldron at the right center.

"Veritaserum. It forces the drinker to tell the truth."

"And the thick mudlike potion?"

"Polyjuice Potion. The drinker can become another person."

"Right again. And which potion, Ms. Granger, is Felix Felicis?"

Hermione smiled. "The yellow potion on the far left."

"Correct indeed. That it's liquid luck, I've already told you. However, this potion will cause you to succeed in anything you attempt for a certain amount of time. This bottle I'm about to give you," he pulled out a small bottle, "Is enough for twelve hours worth. While Felix Felicis is a wonderful potion, too much of it can cause recklessness and can also be highly toxic. Also, Ms. Granger, it is not to be taken for sporting events, tests, elections, etc, for obvious reasons. Therefore, take it on an ordinary day, and watch how that day becomes extraordinary!" He smiled at her and handed her the tiny bottle.

Hermione walked back to her seat hurriedly and stowed the small bottle in her robe pocket.

"Thank you all for a very good lesson. No homework! Pack up!" Slughorn turned and left the room, his stomach preceding him.

The class hurriedly began cleaning up their places, talking animatedly all the while. Draco poured his purple potion down the drain, staring sourly at it. His chance to get Alexa, gone. He brought the cauldron to the back of the room and placed it with the others. Slowly he packed up his supplies and then sat looking longingly at the Felix Felicis bubbling merrily in the front of the room.

Minutes later, Slughorn emerged from his office and began slowly and methodically pouring the potions down the drain. He had poured all but the Amortenia when he was interrupted by another teacher coming into the classroom. As Slughorn hurried away from the room, Draco sat looking at the potion. What had Granger said about it? 'The strongest love potion in the world'? Draco covertly gazed at Alexa, picturing himself with her, holding her, caressing her…and then looked back at the potion.

When the bell rang, Blaise stood and began walking out, but Draco remained seated. Blaise came back to Draco. "Are you coming?"

"No. I want to talk to Professor Slughorn. I'll be up later."

Blaise shrugged and walked out, purposefully catching up to Alexa on the way. Draco watched him go, all too aware of what Blaise would think of what he was going to do. As the last student walked out of the classroom, Draco stole quietly to the back of the classroom and grabbed a small jar. Stealthily, he ran to the potion that smelled intoxicatingly of roses and rain and spring… He slowly lowered the jar into the potion, careful not to let it touch his hands. Then, he slowly lifted the jar, screwed on the lid, and placed it in his pocket. Smoothly, he strode out of the classroom.

A/N: And thank you! Next chapter hopefully--by next week? R&R por favor!


	11. Unsuspecting

A/N: Ack! I know it's been long in coming...but here you go! Thanks to my reviewer!

Ch.10 Unsuspecting

"I don't want to talk to you." Alexa pushed her hair our of her face and continued up from the dungeons.

Blaise shrugged. "I don't really care what you want." He continued walking with her.

After a minute or two, Alexa glanced at him exasperated. "Are you just going to come up to me to say nothing? What do you want?"

"The truth."

"O, Lord. About what?"

"Lunch."

"Hmmm. No comment."

"Is it true then?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Alexa said, stopping in the middle of the hallway. "Has Draco been spreading nasty little rumors about it not being true?"

"No."

"Shocking."

"Pansy has."

"I'm not surprised." She turned and kicked the wall. "Do you believe me?"

Blaise hesitated before answering. "To a certain extent, yes; it makes sense."

Alexa arched her eyebrows. "A certain extent?"

Blaise hesitated. "Well, some of the details seem a bit incredible…"

"Like?"

"The whole mother death eater thing."

"And? "

"And? Can you give me any proof?"

"Like what? List of all the dark arts spells for you that I know? Show you a picture of her displaying her dark mark?"

They had reached the portrait whole and were walking inside.

"Sure," Blaise answered sarcastically. "But really, what can you offer me…"

Alexa glanced at him. "For proof," he hastily added.

Alexa sighed. "There comes a point when I can't explain it to you anymore. And I am beyond it. So this is where you take the truth based on whether you trust me or not. So Blaise, do you believe me?"

Blaise lowered his gaze to the ground. "I don't know."

Alexa sighed, turned on foot, and went up the stairs.

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Several hours later, Alexa came down, exhausted from homework, to eat dinner. Upon entering the Great Hall, she feigned ignorance of the ugly glares she was getting from the far end of the Slytherin table and walked over to sit at the Gryffindor table.

Hermione looked up from her book as Alexa came over. "Problems?" She asked sweetly, nodding towards the Slytherins.

Alexa sighed and sat down next to Harry. "Something like that?"

"Wha don tuch asct fer atans far?" Ron asked from down the table, shoveling Shepherd's Pie into his mouth.

Alexa cocked her head. "Wha?"

"He means 'Why don't you ask for a transfer?'" Hermione translated adeptly.

Alexa shrugged. "I guess I feel like I'm causing some good there. And I like the people there."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You mean some of the people there."

"Especially one in particular, am I right Alexa?" Hermione said smugly. "Alexa doesn't want to transfer because she doesn't was to leave Blaise."

Alexa flushed but did not deny it. "It's complicated." She sighed.

"Complicated by something that happened at lunch?" Harry asked. "Sorry, I heard things around the school."

"At lunch, yes, that would be it."

"What happened?" Hermione asked, from behind her book.

"I kind of told them my life story—about my mother being a death eater."

Harry spat out his pumpkin juice, Ron choked on his spoon, and Hermione's hand froze in mid-page turn.

Hermione slowly lowered her book to the table. "What?

Alexa grimaced at having to retell her painful past again. "My mother, a death eater."

"So then, why aren't you….evil?" Harry said awkwardly.

"She died." Alexa's face was in her hands.

"Naturally?" Hermione asked.

"No. Voldemort killed her." She sat up, breathing in deeply to control her emotions. "She was a threat to him, so he killed her." She smiled sadly. "But I supposed I have to be grateful for that, or I'd be following in her footsteps."

Hermione watched her compassionately. Alexa looked up and met her eyes. "And that is my problem with Blaise."

"He doesn't believe you?" Hermione asked sympathetically.

"He wants proof, and I can't give it to him. And he has no way of finding out if I am telling the truth."

Harry patted her on the back comfortingly. "He a jerk anyways, right?"

Alexa sighed. "No, unfortunately. He's actually really nice. But unless this gets cleared up, I doubt anything will ever happen between us."

"What happened to staying neutral?" Hermione asked, bitingly.

Alexa looked up. "I still am. And I think I'm going to go to bed." She got up from the table.

"But haven't had any dinner," Ron protested, loading his plate up for the fifth time.

"I don't think I'm hungry anymore." She turned and left the Great Hall as quickly as she had come.

Hermione watched her leave. She rubbed her hands down her thighs in thoughtfulness and started as she hit a bump in her left robe pocket. She reached her hand inside and drew the object out. She looked at the object, a tiny bottle with amber-colored liquid, under the table. She glanced up at Alexa's retreating form and then covertly over at Blaise at the Slytherin table.

_No way of finding out, eh? We'll see about that. _Hermione grinned.

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Blaise stood up from the Slytherin table and walked, musing, out into the side hallway. He walked down the corridor, unsuspecting, until he was pushed roughly out of the middle of the hallway and into a side closet.

Blaise fumbled around in the darkness to see who had accosted him. He found a body tried to maneuver it to see who it was.

"Stop," a voice said. Female. "Lumos."

A wand, pointing towards Blaise's face lit up. Blaise looked in the wandlight at his attacker and abruptly removed his hands, disgusted.

"Hermione!" He spat, moving as if to leave the closet. "I mean, I know I'm hott, but if you think for one second that you could…"

"Blaise, shut up." She pushed him back against the wall. "You are so full of yourself; it's no wonder Alexa has problems with you." She sighed and pulled away from him, lowering her wand.

"You talk to Alexa?"

"I said shut up," she said, once more pointing her wand at his face. "Listen for once in your life instead of sticking your foot in your mouth."

Blaise clamped his mouth shut fearful, but determined not to show it.

"I know about the issue at lunch today. And I know you don't believe her. And I know or can tell how you both feel about each other. So I, out of the goodness of my heart, have resolved to help you both—though YOU certainly don't deserve it."

She reached into the folds of her robes, pulled out a tiny bottle filled with amber colored liquid, and presented it to him.

Blaise took the tiny bottle from her, confused. He looked it over and then looked up sharply. "No!" he said in amazement. "This couldn't be…"

"Felix Felicis? Yes, it could. It's the very bottle I won this afternoon. Use it well Blaise." She retreated from him and opened the closet door, stepping out into the light.

Blaise looked, awed, upon the tiny bottle in his hand and smiled.

"But know this Blaise…"

Blaise looked up rapidly.

"If you hurt her, you will answer to me." Then she turned and left, letting the door swing shut.

Blaise stared dumbfounded after her in the darkness.

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Blaise walked slowly up to the portrait hole, fingering the potion, now in his right robe pocket. He stepped through only to find Alexa, studying diligently, by the fire. Smiling at her slim figure, he pulled the tiny bottle of out his pocket and opened the lid, He took a swift, little sip; immediately he felt his senses flooded with its effects and, taking a deep, stepped forward.

"Alexa?"


	12. Lucky Day

Ch.11 Lucky Day

Alexa looked up startled. Upon seeing Blaise, her feelings were decidedly mixed. She felt like she should be irritated with him, but yet she felt deeply attracted and uncertain.

Blaise looked down at her, and feeling the nudge of Felix, knelt down beside her. "Hey, I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I really do want to believe and to trust you, but…"

Alexa looked at him fixedly, biting her lip. "But what?"

"It's just that…it's so hard to believe something without proof. Can't you help me believe you?" Blaise asked earnestly.

Alexa felt great annoyance rise up in her again and then, it slowly seeped away, leaving only empathy. She nodded her head, understanding. "I don't know; I have something that could help I suppose, but it's" She exhaled deeply, "hard for me to relive." She put her head down.

Sensing a breakthrough, Blaise wrapped his arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

Alexa turned her head and looked at him; his face was inches from hers. Slowly, Blaise leaned forward and gently kissed her neck. She gasped softly and leaned back into him as he continued to caress her neck. He softly stroke the other side of her neck with his hand.

Lips pressed to her ear, he whispered, "Show me."

His breath was warm on her neck; It sent shivers down her spine. She turned and looked him in the eyes. "All right." She got up slowly and walked forward a few steps before looked back shyly. "You wanna come up?"

Blaise smiled at the offer. "Un_luckily_, I can't; the stairs won't let me."

"Oh."

"Just bring it back down here."

Alexa looked around, wincing. "Can't I show you in a more private place?"

Blaise raised his eyebrows. "Hmmm, well, I suppose you could bring it up to my room."

Alexa bit her lip. "But won't the stairs…you know…not let me?"

Blaise smirked. "No. For some odd reason, the founders decided that girls are more trustworthy than guys when in the opposite sex's rooms." He sighed and perked up. "Will you?"

"All right." Alexa turned and retreated to her room. She closed the dormitory door behind her and rested against it for support. Walking forward slowly, she fingered the portrait of her mother before grasping it and holding it to her chest. Gathering strength from it, she walked down the stairs.

Blaise met her at the base, escorted her to the other side of the room and up the stairs.

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Draco sat on his bed, looking disgustedly at his transfiguration homework. Sighing, he crumpled yet another sheet of parchment and threw it across the room where it joined an already mountainous pile. He groaned and lay back onto his bed. He glanced over at Goyle and smirked. _At least I'll never be that pathetic._

Goyle was, charmingly, in the process of eating a once large pile of cauldron cakes. Within in seconds, he finished the pile, though remnants of the some odd-twenty cakes remained on all parts of his face. Lacking in more cakes to eat, he quickly jammed his thumb into his mouth.

Draco, still smirking, sat up slowly and resumed his homework. He wrote down a few sentences and then, in frustration crumpled up the parchment. It flew across the room and joined the pile.

"Trying to make Mt. Everest?" Crabbe quipped from the window. He popped a few Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean jelly beans into his mouth and, a few seconds later, grimaced in disgust.

"Yes, Crabbe, I want to make a bloody mountain in the middle of the room so we can all go skiing." Draco shook his head and bent back down to his book. He heard the door open and ignored it. Suddenly, he found great material for his transfiguration essay and hurriedly sprinted out a few sentences. Smiling slightly, he bent his head industriously over his book, pouring down it's open pages. In mid-word, Draco was interrupted by a drumming on the end of his bed.

Pausing, he looked up, fully prepared to tell either Crabbe or Goyle off and was startled out of his anger. Blaise was standing there, expectantly…with Alexa.

"What?" he asked innocently.

Blaise smiled uncomfortably. "Could you, uh, you know…" he inclined his head towards the door.

Draco looked around and saw that Crabbe and Goyle had already left the room. He eyed Alexa, anger and resentment steaming within him. _He_ wanted Alexa. But he smiled instead. "Well, I _guess_ I can leave." He got up nonchalantly, picked up his books and parchment, and smoothly walked out the door, shutting it behind him. He definitely did NOT want to hear anything.

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"Wow. " Blaise bit his lip, kneeling by the bed. "So then all that stuff with your mom and Voldemort was…"

"True? Yeah."

Blaise flipped the photograph, now out of its frame, over, in order to look at the woman on the front. He inspected it, noting the barely revealed dark mark. "You look like her."

Alexa looked down at him from her position on the bed. "I'm not so sure that's a good thing."

Blaise grimaced; the Felix must be wearing off. Too bad he couldn't sneak another sip. Then again, maybe he wanted to do this without Felix's help. He could win Alexa on his own.

He smiled and met her gaze. "I said 'look' not 'act'." He shrugged. "While your mother may, in some way, have affected how you look, she can't affect what's inside you. And what's inside of you is….good."

Alexa raised her brows. "That sounds blasphemous…coming from a Slytherin."

"So maybe I'm not as piously cold-hearted as I used to be. Is that a bad thing?" He rested his elbows on the edge of the bed.

Alexa gave a slow smile. "I guess not."

Blaise looked at her in the eyes; then he smiled and dropped his gaze, shaking his head. "You drive me wild, Alexa, and I can't stand it." Blaise hesitated. "I love you."

Alexa laughed. "Love. Hmmm…incredible." She paused. "I've known you for two days, Blaise. Two days. I don't even know you, Blaise, and you say you love me?"

"When I first saw you, I wanted you. I fell in love with you the moment you entered the room," he smiled mockingly at her, "the tallest 'first year' I'd ever seen."

Alexa smiled at the comment, but she quickly turned serious. "What do you know about love, Blaise?"

"Whatever you teach me."

A small laugh escaped from Alexa. "Ah. Maybe it's not something that can be taught; Maybe you need to find out for yourself."

"Well, then." Blaise grabbed her foot and pulled her toward him.

Alexa leaned back, away from him. "What are you doing?"

Blaise gently placed his hands on her waist. "Finding out for myself." Leaning in, he gently met her lips with his. When she didn't resist, he pushed harder, pushing onto the bed. He felt her hands run through his hair and grinned into her mouth. Pausing slightly, he moved one hand to her stomach and felt her cool, smooth skin. His other hand twirled lightly in her hair, supported her head. Blaise pulled back and looked at her, resting peacefully in his arms, eyes closed.

She felt him draw away and opened her eyes. "What?" she asked, struggling to control her passion.

Blaise gazed lightly at her, still stroking her stomach. "You. Me." He smiled gently. "Us." He bent and kissed her stomach.

She smiled up at no one. "It tickles." Blaise grinned at her and kissed her stomach again…and again…and again…

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Alexa woke, late at night, to find herself downstairs in the common room, tucked neatly in on one of the couches. She yawned and her mind drifted back to earlier. She smiled and bit her lip, remember the feel of his touch on her skin.

She smiled amusedly. Slowly, she crept off the couch and up the stairs to finish the night in her own bed.

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As Draco came in the room a while later. He looked over at Blaise's bed, and noted the absence of a certain young woman from it. Though keeping his thoughts to himself, he smirked broadly as he clambered into his own bed. From beneath his pillow, he pulled out a small bottle containing a liquid with a strange mother of pearl sheen.

He kissed it lightly. "Tomorrow, maybe." He closed his eyes eagerly in anticipation of the next day.

**A/N:** Yes, I am aware it is short. Sorry. I started writing this great thing, and then I realized it would fit better a few chapter later.

And yes, I am aware I did not show the proof—no the "barely revealed dark mark" is not it. It will come later. (Like in that chapter I was working on but decided to put later in the story) Muahahaha.

So there should be a few more chapters continuing this Amortenia thing, but then I will hopefully skip a few months into the future! That is…unless the evil plot fairy decides otherwise.

Thanks to my two reviewers from last time!


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